Welcome, Katya! As you noted, this is a great place to learn. While there are many experienced professional chefs here, we all participate in the general forums and show respect for all comers. That's what makes Chef Talk stand out from all the cooking and food forums on the Internet. While the professional forums are "read-only" for home cooks like you and me, we're encouraged to read and learn there. All the general forums are open to everyone, so there are plenty of opportunities to join in on discussions.

Besides the discussion forums, we do have a great many other aspects of our site you shouldn't miss: cooking articles, wikis, a photo gallery, job board and more! We hope you take some time to browse all areas of Chef Talk.

Do you have a mentor who inspired you to cook? Are there local, regional or cultural influences to your cooking?